Poll results: What do you think about full-body scanners?

Voters
26. You may not vote on this poll
  • Great! I don't mind, and it will stop the terrorists.

    4 15.38%
  • I'm not thrilled about it, but I still support it. The benefits outweigh the costs.

    1 3.85%
  • I'm in the middle. Can't decide.

    2 7.69%
  • It's not the worst thing ever proposed, but the costs outweigh the benefits.

    4 15.38%
  • Holy Crap! I can't believe they want to do this!

    11 42.31%
  • Other

    4 15.38%
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Thread: Full-Body Airport Scanners

  1. #51
    Stegodon
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    I keep thinking of the airport scene in Spinal Tapp.
    Last edited by Inigo Montoya; 14 Jan 2010 at 04:33 PM.
    "It's Quite Cool." -Gandalf

  2. #52
    Yes, I'm a cat. What's it to you? Muffin's avatar
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    So if your scan indicates a woody, will that get you in trouble for harassing the security attendant? (I wouldn't be surprised if a travelling rugby team tries this en masse.)

  3. #53
    Administrator CatInASuit's avatar
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    Well it didn't take long for the first harassment to occur.

    We probably will not see too many more of these cases, as they learn to keep quiet now, but I bet plenty of photos get taken.
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

  4. #54
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    "I can't bear to think about the body scanner thing," she told the Sun. "I'm totally traumatised. I've spoken to the police about it. I'm in too much of a state to go to work."
    Okay, I dislike them but this seems like a bit too much drama. Come on now, really? You were okay working there with people going through it day after day and exposing themselves to security, but one picture of you and suddenly it's traumatizing?

  5. #55
    Stegodon Jaglavak's avatar
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    Factoid: It's not X rays, it's terahertz radar. As you can see from the pix, it does not reveal anything under the skin so implanted explosives would probably get by it. But plastic knives and other non metallic objects under your clothes stand out clearly. Bonus; you don't get a dose of radiation from this kind of scanner.

    I'm pretty sure explody underwear would get picked up. But explody shoes might not since the explosives would show up in place of the normally expected arch support material.


    I object to all of the airport security bullshit. But I do agree we need to make it very difficult for bad guys to blow up airplanes. Don't really have a solution. But this isn't too much more objectionable than what we're doing now.

    My main concern is what about when this type of scanning spreads from the airport (which you can opt out of) to say the county court house or even your employer. Once the ice is broken the scanners *will* be used.

    Basically these days I won't get on a plane unless I'm being paid to do it and I can't weasel out of it.


    ETA: Terahertz radar also blows right through the walls of a building or a shipping container. Portable units exist that can give nearly the resolution of the pix in this thread - from a van driving by your house. The only reason the cops aren't cruising your neighborhood with them is the cost and a pesky law or two. The price is rapidly falling and I expect we will have to fight this battle in the near future.
    Last edited by Jaglavak; 26 Mar 2010 at 09:49 PM.

  6. #56
    Clueless but well-meaning Hatshepsut's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Zuul View post
    Okay, I dislike them but this seems like a bit too much drama. Come on now, really? You were okay working there with people going through it day after day and exposing themselves to security, but one picture of you and suddenly it's traumatizing?
    Yep, I like the sweet smell of outrage in the air in the morning; it smells of lawsuit.

    Quote Originally posted by Jaglavak View post
    Basically these days I won't get on a plane unless I'm being paid to do it and I can't weasel out of it.
    Meh, I fly all the time. The rewards of being where you want to be far outweigh the inconveniences of getting there.

  7. #57
    A Dude Peeta Mellark's avatar
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    Just found this thread while looking for the scavenger hunt picture.

    Has anyone's opinion on this changed now that they're using the scanners?

  8. #58
    Administrator CatInASuit's avatar
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    Judging by the number of complaints I hear in the papers, the body scanners are not welcome.

    Then again, neither are the full body searches.

    I don't fly that often, so meh.
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

  9. #59
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    I haven't been through a scanner yet, nor has anyone I know personally.

    My earlier opinion stands. I'm not particularly concerned about them for myself, but from the complaints out there people with disabilities are getting the worst end of it as I'd thought they would.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  10. #60
    Oliphaunt The Original An Gadaí's avatar
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    My brother, who is 6 foot 9 got scanned by one, said it only went up to his shoulders and because he had to put his hands on his head he could have carried anything through.

  11. #61
    A Dude Peeta Mellark's avatar
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    Your brother is not built on the same scale as us meer mortals.

  12. #62
    Prehistoric Bitchslapper Sarahfeena's avatar
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    I'd rather have the full-body scan than the groping search, I think. I figure there's so many people going through those machines, it's not like I'm really going to stand out in the minds of the people watching.

  13. #63
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Sarahfeena View post
    I'd rather have the full-body scan than the groping search, I think. I figure there's so many people going through those machines, it's not like I'm really going to stand out in the minds of the people watching.
    Yeah, similar to how I feel. Unless I have a third leg and four breasts I doubt anyone will remember me.

    Do I like it? No. Am I fan of having my body displayed in there? Not really. But I'm not going to put up a huge fuss over it. It's largely security theatre and I worry it won't help much, but it is there as part of security and not just to annoy people.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  14. #64
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    Some friends of mine who've been flying lately (internationally, through the US) say that the majority of the outrage is bullshit and making a mountain out of a molehill. No negative experiences.

  15. #65
    Prehistoric Bitchslapper Sarahfeena's avatar
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    I'm not too surprised by that, hobbler. People tend to blow stuff like this out of proportion.

  16. #66
    A Dude Peeta Mellark's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by hobbler View post
    Some friends of mine who've been flying lately (internationally, through the US) say that the majority of the outrage is bullshit and making a mountain out of a molehill. No negative experiences.
    Yeah, I've been having a really hard time finding a real person who has truly had any sort of outraging experience. One blogger I read went out of her way to try to make a scene (she stripped in line down to seethrough underwear ) and it didn't happen.

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